Residents agree to road construction
Residents agree to road construction
JAKARTA (JP): Residents whose houses are to be demolished to
build planned roads in Pegangsaan and Menteng subdistricts, said
on Friday they would agree to vacate only if they are given
adequate compensation.
Interviewed separately, they said that most local residents
were ready to move at any time.
"We have yet to be informed on the amount of compensation. If
the amount is unfair, we will flatly reject the plan," Kurnia,
one of the residents, said.
Kurnia, the owner of a furniture repair workshop, said local
residents did not intend to block the construction of the
streets, but they need money to purchase or rent new homes.
Another resident, Sopiah, said she would return to her
parents' hometown of Bogor. "I will purchase land there if the
compensation is enough," said the resident, who claims to have
lived in the slum area since she was born 50 years ago.
She said most residents had stayed there for a couple of
years.
The Central Jakarta Mayoralty plans to construct two streets,
which will affect at least 181 homes in the Pegangsaan
subdistrict and another 63 in the Menteng area, Menteng district,
Central Jakarta.
The planned 13-meter-wide road will connect Jl. Tambak and Jl.
Bonang in Pegangsaan, while the other, which will be six meters
wide, will connect Jl. Menteng Tenggulun and Jl. Menteng Jaya in
Menteng.
The 500-meter-long street project, scheduled to be completed
some time next year, was disclosed to local residents on Monday
evening. However, the administration had yet to calculate the
compensation for the land.
Saminah, 42, a housewife, acknowledged that most local
residents were no longer content to stay in the area, which has
been considered "notorious" due to frequent outbreaks of violence
throughout the neighborhood.
"Actually, some residents have wanted to move to other areas
for a long time, but they don't have any money. So they are
making use of this project to get money to move out," she said.
For years, the area has been well-known for brawls among
locals, in which property has been damaged and many residents
have reportedly been killed or forced to flee. (ind)